Kids Planet Bulwell

Inclusion: Strong standard

Staff accurately assess children's development and achievements to determine appropriate next steps, which they embed within children's play. Leaders and staff work closely with parents, community support groups and external agencies. This helps to ensure that any changing needs and identified concerns about children's development or wellbeing are swiftly supported. This collaborative approach ensures that all children receive the targeted support they need to help them make the progress they are capable of.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing, are very well supported. Leaders and staff work hard to consider and develop effective strategies and adapt their provision, ensuring that these children get the very best experience while at the setting. For example, leaders have developed a well-resourced sensory room, enabling staff to provide intensive interactions for those children that need targeted support. Furthermore, they shared well-considered strategies with parents to ensure children with SEND make the progress they are capable of. For example, leaders work with parents to develop 'together time' boxes to support children's unique needs at home.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders work with staff to identify the most important areas of learning for the children in their care. They work with parents to construct a curriculum that builds on children's existing knowledge and skills. For example, they recognise that some children have minimal experience of using cutlery. Leaders provide home-learning bags, working closely with parents to support these early independence skills, enabling children to use cutlery effectively.

Staff are aware of each child's level of ability and adapt their teaching accordingly. For example, to support early mathematics, children are helped to count balls as they throw them into a tyre. Others are supported to draw single-digit numbers on wooden blocks with water. Staff use mathematical language during children's play regarding colour, number, positional language and size. This ensures that each child builds on what they already know and can do.

The curriculum places an emphasis on supporting children to understand and regulate their changing emotions. Overall, staff are vigilant, swiftly supporting children to express themselves in a positive way. There are times when newer or less confident staff do not support children to understand what is expected of them. At these times, behaviours escalate and children demonstrate unwanted responses to staff requests. Leaders recognise there is still some work to do to help all staff recognise and consistently support children's learning.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children's speech and language skills are extremely well supported. Older babies fully engage in a mixing activity and eagerly repeat words such as 'water' and 'spoon' as they stir the ingredients in a bowl. Older children confidently involve themselves in back-and-forth conversations with others. They are given time to think and provide their individual responses.

Children make excellent progress from their starting points and are very well prepared to transition between different stages of their education, including school. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who experience barriers to learning or wellbeing, engage in play and sustain high levels of concentration. Leaders and staff work closely with the schools that children transition on to and continue to develop the excellent partnership working. Despite some inconsistencies in teaching, children continue to concentrate well and show high levels of engagement.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Staff encourage babies and toddlers to behave well and learn to cooperate. They use an abundance of praise and clear expectations to encourage children to play together and take turns. For example, during outdoor play, children take turns throwing balls back and forth to each other. Staff build positive relationships with the children in their care. Babies settle well, confidently joining in the activities staff have provided. When babies are unsure, they snuggle up to staff for comfort and quickly return to their play.

Leaders routinely monitor attendance, ensuring that any lapses are checked to keep children safe. Staff work closely with parents to help them understand the importance of regular attendance and how it may affect their child's development.

While leaders recognise that some pre-school children need support to manage their behaviours, effective strategies are not yet fully embedded. For example, during lunchtime, staff do not consistently guide children in understanding the setting's expectations. Some children demonstrate unwanted behaviours when eating their lunch, ignoring staff requests to eat correctly. While staff do present consequences to children if they continue, staff do not follow through with this. As a result, children continue their unwanted behaviours.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Staff are highly responsive to children's needs and prioritise children building secure attachments with their key person. They work closely with parents to develop care routines that are aligned to what is experienced at home. Even the youngest children demonstrate confidence and independence in their surroundings. Leaders embed support for children's emotional wellbeing. When children start to become overwhelmed, staff calmly speak with them about why they feel that way. This helps to validate children's emotions. In addition, staff have created calming spaces for all children, including those children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children seeking quiet time freely use these spaces, returning to their play when they are ready.

Leaders consistently support children's health and wellbeing. Children receive nutritious meals, and robust systems are in place to ensure their dietary needs are met. Staff create a calm, comfortable environment for children who need to rest. They regularly check that children remain safe while they sleep. In addition, all children get daily access to outdoor play. They use their leg muscles, pushing themselves along on tricycles, skilfully navigating around the large play equipment and their friends. This supports their developing physical skills.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders work to ensure the setting provides high-quality care for children. They work closely with staff, parents and external agencies to provide carefully tailored care and planned learning opportunities for all children. They are very aware of the changing needs of the children and parents they work with and are highly responsive to this. Leaders work tirelessly to ensure children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing progress very well from their individual starting points.

Leaders fully consider staff's wellbeing and workload. They ensure that support, professional learning and mentoring is of high quality and available when needed. Staff say they enjoy working at the setting and are very well supported in their training and development needs. Leaders are reflective. While not yet fully embedded, leaders are working with staff to implement consistent strategies, helping children understand behavioural expectations.

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the care their children receive at the setting. They feel their children benefit socially by making new friends and their children's confidence has developed. Parents state that communication is effective, ideas and strategies are shared with them to help support their child's learning at home and transition for their child's next stage in learning is well supported.